The direct connect cable: If you search on Amazon, eBay, or Weaknees for, “TiVo to DTA / Cable Box Infrared (IR) Direct Connect Cable. Replaces IR Blaster,” you will find the 34” cable or go to the link: https://www.weaknees.com/tivo-direct-connect-cable.php

The direct connect cable: If you search on Amazon, eBay, or Weaknees for, “TiVo to DTA / Cable Box Infrared (IR) Direct Connect Cable. Replaces IR Blaster,” you will find the 34” cable or go to the link: https://www.weaknees.com/tivo-direct-connect-cable.php

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This cable fits either the USB-UIRT or Tira-2's 1/8" (3.5mm) external ports. Of course, run the other 3.5mm plug to the STB's EXT IR IN port. So, no IR blaster emitter required. '''Note:''' The adapter cable can be extended with a standard, 3.5mm audio extender cable.

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This cable fits either the USB-UIRT or Tira-2's 1/8" (3.5mm) external ports. Of course, run the other 3.5mm plug to the STB's EXT IR IN port. So, no IR blaster emitter required.

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{{note box| This direct connect cable may be too short for your use, but it can be extended with a standard, 3.5mm audio extender cable.}}

== IR Blaster Setup ==

== IR Blaster Setup ==

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Line 339:

</pre>

</pre>

}}

}}

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{{note box| For Tira-2, I had to use <nowiki>"--device=/dev/lircd1"</nowiki> for irsend to work.}}

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'''Note:''' For Tira-2, I had to use "--device=/dev/lircd1" for irsend to work.

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[[Category:HOWTO]]

[[Category:HOWTO]]

[[Category:Hardware]]

[[Category:Hardware]]

Latest revision as of 01:09, 6 December 2017

This document is a compilation from numerous posts that describes the setup of a USB-UIRT, Tira-2 IR Transceiver as well as a TiVo-style direct connect cable for channel changing a Set Top Box.

Description

Because of my local cable provider’s move to full digital, they no longer provide Set Top Boxes (STB) with firewire ports, my preferred way of channel changing. The cable provider used to provide Motorola DCT6200 & DCH3416 STBs. They now provide Arris (formerly Motorola) DCX3220e STBs. The DCX3220e has a 3.5mm IR extender port that you can connect a TiVO style direct connect cable then connect the other end to the STB for a no-fail channel change solution.

This cable fits either the USB-UIRT or Tira-2's 1/8" (3.5mm) external ports. Of course, run the other 3.5mm plug to the STB's EXT IR IN port. So, no IR blaster emitter required.

Note: This direct connect cable may be too short for your use, but it can be extended with a standard, 3.5mm audio extender cable.

IR Blaster Setup

For USB-UIRT: http://www.usbuirt.com/, and if you run Mythbuntu, the Mythbuntu Control Centre will provide you essentially a turnkey solution for the blaster setup, except make [LOAD_MODULES="false"].

For comparison, my hardware.conf files look like this:

USB-UIRT hardware.conf

# /etc/lirc/hardware.conf
#
#Chosen Remote Control
REMOTE="None"
REMOTE_MODULES=""
REMOTE_DRIVER="uirt2_raw"
REMOTE_DEVICE=""
REMOTE_SOCKET=""
REMOTE_LIRCD_CONF=""
REMOTE_LIRCD_ARGS="-d /dev/ttyUSB0"
#Chosen IR Transmitter
TRANSMITTER="USB-UIRT2 : Motorola Cable Box"
TRANSMITTER_MODULES=""
TRANSMITTER_DRIVER="uirt2_raw"
TRANSMITTER_DEVICE=""
TRANSMITTER_SOCKET=""
TRANSMITTER_LIRCD_CONF="motorola/dctxxxx.conf"
TRANSMITTER_LIRCD_ARGS=""
#Disable kernel support.
#Typically, lirc will disable in-kernel support for ir devices in order to
#handle them internally. Set to false to prevent lirc from disabling this
#in-kernel support.
#DISABLE_KERNEL_SUPPORT="true"
#Enable lircd
START_LIRCD="true"
#Don't start lircmd even if there seems to be a good config file
#START_LIRCMD="false"
#Try to load appropriate kernel modules
LOAD_MODULES="false"
# Default configuration files for your hardware if any
LIRCMD_CONF=""
#Forcing noninteractive reconfiguration
#If lirc is to be reconfigured by an external application
#that doesn't have a debconf frontend available, the noninteractive
#frontend can be invoked and set to parse REMOTE and TRANSMITTER
#It will then populate all other variables without any user input
#If you would like to configure lirc via standard methods, be sure
#to leave this set to "false"
FORCE_NONINTERACTIVE_RECONFIGURATION="true"
START_LIRCMD=""

# /etc/lirc/hardware.conf
#
#Chosen Remote Control
REMOTE="None"
REMOTE_MODULES=""
REMOTE_DRIVER="tira"
REMOTE_DEVICE=""
REMOTE_SOCKET=""
REMOTE_LIRCD_CONF=""
REMOTE_LIRCD_ARGS="-d /dev/ttyUSB0"
#Chosen IR Transmitter
TRANSMITTER="None"
TRANSMITTER_MODULES=""
TRANSMITTER_DRIVER="tira"
TRANSMITTER_DEVICE=""
TRANSMITTER_SOCKET=""
TRANSMITTER_LIRCD_CONF=""
TRANSMITTER_LIRCD_ARGS=""
#Disable kernel support.
#Typically, lirc will disable in-kernel support for ir devices in order to
#handle them internally. Set to false to prevent lirc from disabling this
#in-kernel support.
#DISABLE_KERNEL_SUPPORT="true"
#Enable lircd
START_LIRCD="true"
#Don't start lircmd even if there seems to be a good config file
#START_LIRCMD="false"
#Try to load appropriate kernel modules
LOAD_MODULES="false"
# Default configuration files for your hardware if any
LIRCMD_CONF=""
#Forcing noninteractive reconfiguration
#If lirc is to be reconfigured by an external application
#that doesn't have a debconf frontend available, the noninteractive
#frontend can be invoked and set to parse REMOTE and TRANSMITTER
#It will then populate all other variables without any user input
#If you would like to configure lirc via standard methods, be sure
#to leave this set to "false"
FORCE_NONINTERACTIVE_RECONFIGURATION="true"
START_LIRCMD=""

For Home Electronics Tira-2, you may have to make a unique transmitter lircd.conf file (dctxxxx.conf) using tira_raw. Note the following link for the reason why: http://www.lirc.org/html/tira.html

To accomplish this, use the cable provider remote that works with your STB. Mine is the UR4U remote that works with Arris/Motorola boxes. Point it at the Tira-2, then:

In my case, I saved the above file as /usr/share/lirc/extras/transmitters/motorola/dctxxxx.conf

Tira-2 lircd.conf file:

lircd.conf

#/etc/lirc/lircd.conf
#
#This configuration has been automatically generated via
#the Ubuntu LIRC package maintainer scripts.
#
#It includes the default configuration for the remote and/or
#transmitter that you have selected during package installation.
#
#Feel free to add any custom remotes to the configuration
#via additional include directives or below the existing
#Ubuntu include directives from your selected remote and/or
#transmitter.
#Configuration for the Hauppauge TV card remote:
include "/usr/share/lirc/remotes/oneforall/lircd.conf.rcatira"
#Configuration for the None transmitter:
include "/usr/share/lirc/extras/transmitters/motorola/dctxxxx.conf"